Smartcards are portable devices that include an embedded integrated circuit. Smartcards may be passive memory devices or contain a microcontroller and associated memory for various functions. Smartcard form factors include plastic cards, fobs, subscriber identification modules (SIMs), and the like.
Applications for smartcards include payment systems, access control, identification, cryptographic controls and authentication, and telecommunications.
The current lack of automatic recognition of smartcards in current operating system plug and play frameworks renders them difficult to use and deploy. When drivers or associated software or both have not been previously installed, the smartcard is unusable and applications looking to the smartcard will fail. Manual installation is thus necessary to render the smartcard fully functional.